Attraction Chapter One
by Diva-san
Summary: An Exploration of Rukawa’s psyche. The summary can be found in the Prolog section. Thanks! ^-^


[Prolog - Author's Welcome Notes]  
  
Rukawa's character intrigued me for a long time; not because he was extremely talented and skilled but because of his grim devotion to basketball. Further more, the cold, aloof personality made him a wonderful character to write about.  
  
Why? Some of you may ask. Well, by reason of his icy, no-nonsense attitude towards most of the people around him. It made me wonder what events had molded his individuality and the most important of all, why?  
  
However, when I first drafted this story, I find it very hard (surprise, surprise) to write about him. The reason is simple, the very traits that made him so attractive (and won over so many fans) became my undoing; frankly speaking, I cannot imagine myself writing only on how cool and how proficient he is.  
  
Thus, I decided to introduce a new character, a female one so as to make this a possibly romance story. By doing this, I hope I can slowly (I hope not too slow though, judging from my writing style) draw out and explain the reason behind Rukawa's infamous characteristics.  
  
Rukawa is a poor-rich boy, devoid of family love but affluent in assets. His parents are too obsessed in material needs and neglected their only child in their own selfish pursuit of wealth. Naturally, this is where basketball comes in, the sport in which he seeks solace. Thus, this cynical child finds it hard to trust or even love the people around him.  
  
Consequently, he grew up in loneliness. But some where, some part of him actually wishes to trust and love. Perhaps, his greatest leap in faith is when he finally trusts his teammates and passes the ball to them to score in the last IH match against Sennoh.  
  
His female counterpart is a direct opposite; she grew up in a family full of love (although her mother had died of cancer when she was young). Her father is her pillar of strength and support; she is a loving girl and trusts everyone......that is until her father died in a car accident. Though it is not explicitly mentioned in the story, she is also involved in the tragedy, but had miraculously escaped with only some injuries. But, guilt plagues her because she felt that she should not have lived since her father had died.  
  
Therefore, she retreated into a shell of self-loath and anguish; constantly blaming herself for being alive. She became a indifferent and quieter person; forgetting how to trust and love the people around her......but most importantly, she had forgotten how to love herself. Her pride made her refuse to admit her frailty and her stubbornness prevents others (notably Rukawa) from helping her.  
  
The loneliness that shrouded her attracted Rukawa and he subconsciously identifies with her emotions. Her grapples with solitariness moved him since it strongly reminds him of his experience during his childhood.  
  
Some readers may wonder why I had started off the story focusing more on Shizuko than Rukawa. Well, reason is rather simple; because she is a new cast and I have hoped that the readers know more of this character before I move on to Rukawa. Not to forget, I have to stress that it is when Rukawa started to care for someone then he began to evaluate himself and perhaps, changing his grim outlook in life in the process.   
  
This, I admit was not my best piece of work. However, I still see rooms of improvement. Any c&c are most welcome!  
  
Regards,  
Diva-san  
  
  
[The story begins now.....................................]  
  
Part (I)  
  
The bell rang; the crisp sound of metal split through the morning air. Before long, the noise of Shohoku High students die out, signifying the ending of their break time.   
  
A lone figure stood outside the school's main gate, unmoving. Her long wavy ebony hair, which was neatly gathered back into a ponytail, cascaded past down her shoulders.   
  
To a casual observer, this slightly built girl strikes a rather unusual pose: her shoulders held straight and head held up high. Her somewhat determined stance enforced the air of arrogance around her. Nevertheless, many had to agree that despite this, she is rather attractive in her own way. Her lips, which are not full and luscious, are pleasant to scrutinize. Yet it was her eyes that seized people's attention. There is a saying that eyes are windows to one's soul, but her dark searching eyes with enigmatic depths made her even harder to fathom.   
  
A trifle frown threatened to mar her oval, olive visage as she perceived her surroundings with keen interest. So this is Shohoku High. The building is bigger than I've imagined. With that, she hoisted her dusky-gray bag over her shoulder and finally stepped into the new chapter of her life.  
  
  
  
Meanwhile back in Class 1-10.........  
  
"Pssst! Ru......Rukawa! Wake up!" A bespectacled guy whispered anxiously to the unconscious form adjacent to the classroom window, "Rukawa!" However, his gesture of goodwill was evidently futile as the sound of snoring continued to emit from the inert figure. Of course, this was not the first time Kaede Rukawa had slumbered while the Sensei(teacher) was teaching. The girls in the class naturally giggled.   
  
That...that Yuro(scoundrel)... He has completely no respect for me! The mathematics Sensei clutched his white chalk while the veins on his temple were on the verge of bursting. Nevertheless, he managed to restrain himself from spitting any caustic remarks. No point making yourself look like a Tomaa(fool) in front of the class, he reminded himself. "Toru! Wake Rukawa up or you will be doing extra assignments for him!"  
  
Nani(What)? Baka(idiot)! Why am I so unfortunate to sit near him? "Rukawa!" Toru finally smacked his textbook on the motionless body in his last, desperate attempt to arouse Rukawa.  
  
Of course, that was Toru's undoing because Rukawa never condoned anyone who disturbed his sleep. He lazily roused and scratched his head where the offending book had made its triumphant mark. His dark-piercing eyes opened in an instant, "Who did that?", and rested upon Toru who was still holding his book in midair.   
Toru thought that he would never see another sunrise that very day.  
  
After the scuffle, which the Sensei wisely ignored, Rukawa fidgeted in his seat. He recognized the need to stay awake...his mind is willing but his body is not. He already acknowledged the price to pay for getting up 5:30 every morning to practice basketball ...albeit it was a small one. After the practice match (which they lost and he finally met his match, Sendoh) with Ryonan, he was even more industrious. Nothing is more important than basketball.   
  
Nothing.  
  
Suddenly, a silhouette of a girl, with long wavy hair in a ponytail caught Rukawa's attention. And I thought that I was the only one seriously late for classes, he mused.  
  
  
  
A Minute Later, in Class 1-1.........  
  
The Sensei was immensely proud of himself. Never before could he be more conceited. A transfer but brilliant student to join my class...the TOP class in Shohoku High...how fortunate! What's more, all the way from Tokyo! His crusty brown hands began to tremble visibly as he read her recommendation. He still could not believe his eyes. Her school...I mean former school, even highly recommended her. Or perhaps she had heard that Shohoku High had such an ingenious Sensei...that is me of course!   
  
"Ohayo gozaimasu(Good morning)! I'm Shizuko."   
  
In actuality, Shizuko had never heard of Shohoku High before. Ironically, that was precisely the reason why she had agreed to come here in the first place. A new place with a fresh start, she had decided.   
  
Now where should she sit? Perhaps in front so that the entire class can see her......or maybe not too front... Ah! The middle, hai(yes), right in the middle is the best. "Er... Shizuko-san..."   
  
The Sensei was too late. The silent figure was already making her way to the rear of the class next to the second exit (there were two doors on the right side of each classroom) where an empty seat was awaiting her. A few guys and girls turned and stole a quick glance at the retreating frame. Haughty, they thought. She did not even smiled when she introduced herself. Merely intoned those greetings for formality sake. See? She did not even bother to wait for Sensei to allocate her a seat.  
  
"...just take a seat." The Sensei finished lamely.   
  
Impatient. Restless.   
  
Conceivably, these are the words to describe Shizuko when it comes to work. Understandably, that was also the rationale why she excelled, both academically and non-academically. Really, she saw no reason and utter waste of time to let the enthralled Sensei to fret over where she should sit. Hence, she took the liberty to choose one herself.  
  
Shizuko knew that judging from the looks given by some of the classmates, the impression given by her was not favorable. Yet, she was not troubled by it. She knew that it could not be helped; people judged books by their covers.  
  
Even though she was a transfer student, she was still ahead in her work. The pace in Shohoku High was slower. Consequently, as the English Sensei resumed the lesson, Shizuko's mind drifted. I wonder how strong is Shohoku's basketball team?  
  
  
  
  
  
Part (II)  
  
As mentioned earlier, Shohoku High was larger than Shizuko had imagined.   
The central building consisted of a large circular foyer in the east wing and an equally large canteen in the west wing on the ground floor. It also embodied a total of three levels of classrooms in the east wing, whilst the west wing had two levels of rooms for teaching staff and club activities. The first year students resided on the first floor in the east and so on for the second, and third year students. The lockers for the students could be found at the end of the wing on the respective floors.  
  
Two competition halls flanked colossal building side by side, one for basketball practices and arts & performance (there was a stage there but was rarely used); another for martial arts and volleyball activities. The rest of the sports such as tennis, soccer and baseball games were held in the lavish green field behind the large construction.  
  
Hence, it was quite natural for Shizuko to be perplexed in this maze; especially in the west wing where the rooms were not properly labeled. She was in the west wing because she needed to enroll in at least one extra-curricular activity, as required by the school, and had decided on Tennis.  
The reason for her choice was somewhat abstract. She had chosen it partly because she had always wanted to try this sport, and by virtue of luck, the tennis court was near her primary interest.   
  
Basketball.  
  
She would have preferred to enlist in the basketball team if such a female team exists.   
  
  
  
Two Weeks Later, in the Basketball Court.  
  
Kogure readjusted his spectacles that were perched uncomfortably on his nose bridge for the umpteenth time. I should be changing this pair soon, it is getting a bit tight on the nose, he promised himself. But he was too ecstatic to remember such a mundane task. With the return of Ryota Miyagi and the recent addition of Hisashi Mitsui, Shohoku's basketball team was definitely stronger. Not to forget, Hanamichi was improving his skills at an astonishing rate. Perhaps he is a tensai after all.  
  
"Akagi, what do you think of our team? With Mitsui, Rukawa...and... maybe Hanamichi around, our team is stronger than before. Not to mention, Ryonan defeated us by only a score last time."  
  
"Indeed our team has valuable and talented players...... Hanamichi? Maybe. But we should never be complacent. Even with these new blood, we should work harder than before." Abruptly, Akagi's eyes narrowed," Hanamichi! You baka! What are you doing?"  
  
The Shohoku's basketball team was having a friendly match with the team players (roughly divided into two teams) pitting their skills amongst themselves. By a stroke of luck/bad luck Hanamichi ended up teaming with Rukawa. Yasuda who was guarded by Shiozaki had managed to pass the ball to Hanamichi (who was supposed to dribble and pass it to Rukawa by Yasuda's mental calculations). Unknown to Yasuda, Hanamichi would never pass the ball to Rukawa and instead tried to perform a slam-dunk......which of course failed miserably with the ball rebounding from the Backboard violently. Mitsui then intercepted it.  
  
"Thanks Hanamichi!" Mitsui said before turning and hurling it back to Ryota. Meanwhile Rukawa uttered under his breath, "Do-aho(big fool)." before rushing back to defense.  
  
Without a doubt, such exchanges were not left unnoticed by Hanamichi. "Nani! You......you fox! I'll show you that I'm a tensai!" He protested prior pursuing Rukawa with much vigor. He was also back in defense position in a second.  
"That......that baka..." Akagi sighed as he shook his head.  
  
Kogure laughed as he witnessed all these. Then a movement at the corner of his eye captured his notice. A girl who was leaning against one of the entrance (the competition hall had two entrances) with a tennis racket was also observing the scene with sharp interest. With arms folded, she shifted her posture, but her vigilant eyes never left the basketball court. Another of Rukawa's fans? It was well known that due to his superb basketball skills and good looks, Rukawa had quite a number of screaming fans/impromptu cheerleaders. However there was something in her bearing that made him think otherwise. He noted that she was certainly appealing in an unusual way.  
  
  
  
Meanwhile......  
  
This is weird. I see a very good team in making, but how come Shohoku's name was never heard of? Even dad never mentioned its name before, Shizuko pondered. Perhaps all of the good players are fresh blood......but the one shooting 3 pointers and the one holding the position point guard don't look like year ones to me.   
  
She understood that for a team to excel there must be at least 3 good players. However, there were exceptions. If the team was fortunate enough to have an ACE that was an all rounder, then perhaps one ACE player was good enough. Perhaps. But not good enough to enter the IH competition, her father always said, after all, basketball is all about teamwork. Any team, which is superior in collaboration, wins. Teamwork......then that is one important element which this team lacks, she concluded. Images of the redhead attempting to slam-dunk were still fresh in her mind. If he had not leapt too soon and exerted too much force, that dunk would have been beautiful. Was he too eager to impress? She was quite struck with his remarkable athletic ability though. It was the first time she had seen someone who managed to return to his defense position that promptly.  
  
  
  
  
  
Part (III)  
  
Rukawa could not recall when he started to be aware of her presence. Usually, he was entirely immersed in the basketball practice. Being a loner, he did not talk to his teammates much since he found it rather useless and unconstructive. He only wanted to concentrate in his training. Thus, he was absolutely surprised when he found himself hunting for the familiar presence near the entrance.   
Despite the fact that he could not remember her face, he managed to recollect how the serene, unmoving frame would just stand there for around an hour before departing. She would often appear with a tennis racket and a towel around her neck. Sometimes he contemplated why she had bothered to come over twice a week simply to watch them practice. But at least she was not annoying like those girls, he reflected.  
  
  
  
  
Saturday Morning.  
  
It was dawn.  
  
The streets were bare and the neighborhood was quiet. The sparrows were starting to stir in their nests and before long, they would take to the azure skies.   
Nevertheless, despite this twilight hour, sounds of a ball dribbling across the suburb basketball court could be heard. Then came the swooshing noise of the ball down the basketball rim and net.  
  
Shizuko was grateful that the basketball court was near her rented apartment. This way she could practice whenever she was free during the daybreak. She knew that children in the neighborhood usually use the court in the morning and thus chose to train at dawn instead. An hour or two were usually enough for her, after which she would leave to give computer lessons in a commercial building near the central district.   
  
She had missed her weekly practice (every Saturday morn) in this court for the first two weeks. Now that could not be helped because she was preoccupied with unpacking her possessions in the new tenement. Soon afterward, she briskly settled into a weekly Saturday morn routine of basketball.  
That was to say this was the third time she utilized the court and had not met anyone as early as her......  
  
......until today.  
  
Okay, enough time for one more round, she promised herself as she caught the ball she had cast into the metal hoop moments ago, three more points. Shooting three pointers was one of her specialties.   
  
She dribbled the ball effortlessly to one end of the court, after which she charged pass imaginary opponents and instantly halt behind the line where she sprung and shot in one fluid motion. As she landed on the ground with a small thud, she watched in anticipation for the ball to finish its victorious descent ......  
  
......which was never completed.  
  
Another ball emerged out of nowhere and impeded its path perfectly. Because Shizuko's ball was a step behind, it hit the interfering ball before bouncing off the basket brim, sending the newcomer even further down the rim and net.   
Swoosh.  
  
Nani? Shizuko could not believe her eyes. Basket interfere! That was an act of humiliation by basketball players, which is to snatch and intercept the basket rim before one's rival's ball reaches it. It was of course very tough to execute and required considerable skills and not to forget, excellent judgment.  
  
She twisted around to face her intruder. Familiar but cold, dark-piercing eyes regarded hers without a flinch. He idly walked past her to retrieve his ball.   
With his back facing her, he dribbled and performed a lay-up. Then he caught the ball as it left the basket net and flung it halfway across the court...... and dashed across to catch the ball in its rebound.  
  
In conclusion, he deliberately ignored Shizuko's presence.  
  
It was not the ignoring part that set her seething; it was the basket interfere that piqued her. She saw that as a challenge and naturally, she accepted it. A ghost of a smile formed on her lips as she went to reclaim her ball.   
  
Rukawa abruptly stop behind the line where he leapt to shoot a three point.   
  
However his eyes widened in shock when he saw another ball appeared and intercepted its path. This time it was Shizuko's ball that cleared the basket net with Rukawa's ball bouncing off the loop.   
Perfect, she thought.   
  
"Now we are even," She said before catching her ball and tucking it under her arms, "and don't look down on girls." With that, she left.  
  
Rukawa could only look in surprise at the departing girl.  
  
  
  
  
  
Part (IV)  
  
Shohoku's basketball team won the first two matches (Shohoku Vs Miuradai & Shohoku Vs Shoyo) of the district Championship. The team's spirits were pretty high.  
  
  
  
A Week Later......  
  
It took Rukawa a while to realize that the mysterious girl at the suburb basketball court was from the same High School as him.   
  
On a particular afternoon, while he was heading for his locker, a girl with long black wavy hair in a ponytail was on her way to leave the area. Something in her demeanor made him pause his footsteps and look. Possibly it was the way she carried herself, so proud and strong. Somehow, she reminded him of the girl he encountered at the suburb court. That was how he began to notice her.  
  
Occasionally, while he was advancing to the west wing, he would walk along the corridor and saw a number of guys sitting in a circle surrounding her in the classroom. Apparently they were trying to gain her attention under the pretext of asking her homework questions. From her patient mien, it seemed that she also knew.   
  
Then came the part where he chanced upon her again, just outside the competition hall. This time she was in tennis attire and was only a few feet away. Their eyes met and a slightest hint of recognition passed in her dark eyes before she turned and walked away.   
  
  
  
Meanwhile, outside the Competition Hall......  
  
"Haruko-san, I need to go off for my practice now. See you around!"   
  
"Abayo(cheerio, bye bye)Shizuko-san!"  
  
Haruko had came to really like this new ally of hers. They had become acquaintances when Haruko took the initiative to introduce herself. Although she had to confess that she was very hesitant at first, Shizuko's warm smile made her realize her fears were unfounded.   
  
From what Haruko observed, Shizuko knew a lot about basketball. Sometimes she was quite tempted to ask Shizuko where she got her profuse knowledge.   
  
Furthermore, Haruko could tell that she was pretty much in love with the sport. There were times when Shizuko actually smiled when she discussed about Shohoku team's potential with her. Though Haruko did not know Shizuko very well, from what she listened from Yohei, she was a transfer student and was quite bright.   
  
In addition, Haruko found that Shizuko was greatly concerned about the team. She would come here twice a week solely to see them play. No, more like monitoring their progress, Haruko corrected herself.   
  
"Haruko-san!" A cheerful voice injected.  
  
"Huh? Oh Hanamichi-san." Haruko managed to snap out of her introspection.   
"Who is that girl you were talking to?" The redhead inquired. Apparently he was quite observant about whom Haruko hang around with.   
  
"Shizuko-san. She plays Tennis."   
  
"Tennis? What is tha......, OUCH!" A large paper fan had somehow found its way on Hanamichi's head. "Ayako, why did you do that for?" Hanamichi objected as he covered his redhead in defense. Too late, the damage had been done.  
  
"That was to remind you that you are still under my supervision! How many times have I told you NOT to sneak off like that!" Obviously, she was not amused. She found it pretty tiring to chase Hanamichi around.  
  
"Do-aho." Rukawa deadpanned as he made his way into the hall. Haruko blushed. She had not seen him heading for the hall.   
  
Upon hearing the offensive remark from his rival, Hanamichi bellowed, "Fox man! Stop there! I'll show y......", his voice trailing off as he leapt after Rukawa.  
Ayako moaned as she went off after the two, "Why can't they be friends?"  
Haruko just laughed.  
  
  
  
  
  
Part (V)  
  
Shizuko had other plans.  
  
From the last encounter she had with Rukawa, she had decided against going to the suburb basketball court again. There were number of reasons for her doing so. Not that she was angry with Rukawa; it was because she recognized that he wanted to practice in the court by himself. From what she had gathered while she was observing the team, she believed that he was a loner, and respected his need for solitude.   
  
Besides, if she was to stick to her morning routine of basketball, she could only practice once a week.  
  
Hence, she decided to stay back after her tennis practice to make use of the competition hall when the team had done with the training. Haruko had informed her that the training stops at around 7:30 in the evening. Nonetheless, some teammates, especially Rukawa, would sometimes stay back to practice for an additional hour.   
  
Shizuko frowned when she recollected how Haruko would blush ever so slightly whenever she spoke of his name. Personally, she found him pretty cold, reserved, and unfriendly. But she had to credit his charming good looks for his horde of fans. Pale skin, dark brooding eyes and a great athletic body. Moreover, they were all swept off their feet by his superb basketball skills.   
  
Yet Shizuko grew up watching people with such skills at play. As expected, her father was a national player. After he retired, he became an excellent coach and generally brought her along whenever he was coaching. The very first thing she remembered when she was merely a toddler was basketball. In fact, she grew up with basketball.  
  
Her father had guided her well. Despite the fact that she was a girl and was naturally challenged by her physique, both in terms of height and strength, he taught her how to overcome them. That lesson was a critical one because she had to face one on one with her father when she was just a child. Basketball is all about techniques, he reminded her, and height is simply an obstacle to overcome. With the correct techniques, it doesn't matter how tall your opponent is. Remember this well.  
  
But as fate has it, a fatal mobile accident took him away two summers ago. Shizuko was only fifteen. Subsequently, she began to seek solace in basketball.  
  
  
  
Another Saturday Morning.  
  
This morning, Rukawa woke up earlier than usual. He had hoped to meet the mysterious girl again. After she had left the court that fateful morning, he had wondered whether that basket interfere was coincidental. If not, then she must be truly skilled.  
  
As much as he hated to admit it (since he usually never bothered himself with girls), he found her quite enticing. She played tennis and yet was good in basketball. If it really was the case, then he must find out how capable she actually was. He had never seen such an able female player before. Most females shunned this sport mainly because basketball was widely regarded as a male game in Japan.  
  
However, no familiar sound of a ball dribbling could be heard as he neared his destination in his bike. The suburb basketball court was empty.   
  
He had assumed that she would be there every Saturday morning. Even though Rukawa did not know how he had arrived that judgement, he was pretty confident. Perhaps she was not free today, he concluded.   
  
Taking his ball out of his bag, Rukawa started to dribble.  
  
  
  
  
  
Part (V)  
  
In the next match (Shohoku Vs Kainan), Shohoku's team lost. The race for the district Championship was definitely arduous.  
  
  
  
A Few Days Later, in the Competition Hall......  
  
Rukawa was very angry.  
  
He never took defeat lightly. Defeat was a word that should never be found in his dictionary. He was only interested in Victory.   
If only my stamina had been better......and endured until the very last moment, he blamed himself.  
  
Catching the ball in midair during in its rebound, he dribbled across the court with much fury. If he normally had been aggressive in his assault, this attack would be twice as worse. He was lashing out his wrath in the court. Leaping off the floor and towards the Backboard, he dunked the ball right into the rim with so much vehemence that the entire structure vibrated due to his sheer force.   
  
Somehow, that powerful dunk seemed to have helped to abate his rage. Panting and crouching after he had landed, he watched expressionlessly at the ball, which had rolled near the end line of the court, after it had freed itself from the net.   
  
But at least I know where my weakness is, he calmly reflected at last.  
  
  
  
Meanwhile......  
  
Shizuko was right. Rukawa did not take such a defeat by Kainan lightly. She had witnessed the contest between the two teams. Undoubtedly, Shohoku had put up an admirable fight. But she had to admit that Kainan had a stronger assemble and hence the defeat was inevitable.   
So she waited patiently for Rukawa to leave the hall.   
  
  
  
25 Minutes Later, Outside the Central Building ......  
Rukawa paced slowly towards his mountain bike that was stationed outside the foyer. He felt fatigue setting in. That was unavoidable since he had been training the whole day.   
  
Tossing his bag aside, he mounted and started to pedal out of the school compound. However, as he was cycling pass the competition hall, he thought he heard something. Screeching to a sudden stop, he lingered around and listened.   
It was unmistakable. It was sound of a dribbling ball.   
  
Who could it be? Rukawa wondered, Hanamichi? Nonetheless, he dismissed it. That baka never stayed around this late. Even if he did, he would make sure that he sticks around to disturb me.   
  
Rukawa hesitated for a moment before he dismounted and walked towards one of the entrance of hall. Cautiously, he drew the door aside by a bit and glimpsed.   
  
A girl, who was stooping low, was dribbling the ball with her right hand.   
  
However the ball was not dribbled by her side but somewhere behind her; she was using her body to prevent her imaginary opponent from getting near the ball. She turned to her right, presumably attempting to charge past her rival. Suddenly, she swiftly pivoted to her left instead, and at the same time, the bouncing ball left her right hand and rebounded to another without missing a beat. She was dribbling with her left hand! (Not many players can dribble well with both hands) In a flash, she charged pass her opponent and shot.  
  
And scored.  
  
It is her! Rukawa realized. Not wanting to interrupt her, he decided to stand there and watch.  
  
  
  
  
  
Part (VI)  
  
Haruko decided to introduce Shizuko to the team. It was actually Yohei's idea. Why not? He had said, She is quite supportive of the team.  
  
So she wanted to hit upon a chance to do that. Doing it deliberately seemed unnatural, worse, Shizuko might be embarrassed by the attention.   
  
Thus when Shizuko suggested that Haruko should buy some drinks for the tired teammates, she grabbed the chance.  
  
"Minasama(Everyone), this is Shizuko-san."  
  
Shizuko's eyes briefly widened in surprise at Haruko's gesture; she had not anticipated this move. Nevertheless, she continued magnanimously with a smile, "Konnichiwa(Good afternoon)! I'm Shizuko-san."   
  
The team members (with the exception of Akagi and Rukuwa) were naturally elated. Actually, they had noticed her presence for quite sometime now. Any guy would want to befriend an attractive female; they were not exceptions.  
  
Hence, when Shizuko was doling out the chilled, canned drinks, the team members, especially Mitsui, were quick to express their thanks and appreciation for her support. Their eyes met when Rukawa came forth to receive his drink. He only nodded to acknowledge her.  
  
They briskly resumed their practice after a brief rest.  
  
  
  
A Week later, along the First Level Corridor......  
  
Mitsui rushed down the crowded corridor. A number of girls who stole a glance at him blushed as he hurried by. He was also a handsome fellow, especially after he had cast away his long hair, his popularity with girls rose by yet another notch.   
  
Shimata(Damn)! I hope she is still in her classroom, he cursed as he dashed along towards his goal; Class 1-1.  
  
His worries were unfounded. Shizuko was kept back by her classmates (all guys, even some from other classes) as usual. Again, those rascals were pretending as dense as before, constantly asking daft questions. Of course, Mitsui knew that. He stared at the clamorous bunch when he stepped into the classroom. All of them instantly shrink back under his angry gaze. Even though Mitsui had forsaken his gangster ways, few could forget his dark past.   
  
Shizuko lifted her head when she detected a change in the ambience. "Mitsui?"  
"Hai! Are you going for the break?"  
  
"I guess there are no more questions left," she replied, and smiled when she saw that most of the guys had paled under Mitsui's glare.  
  
Shizuko was quick to ask why Mitsui had come to look for her while they were proceeding to the canteen.  
  
"Er......to help you to get rid of those people."   
  
"Well, I agree that they are a good riddance." Shizuko admitted. Mitsui laughed as he nodded in agreement.   
  
It came as a surprise to her when he suddenly appeared in her class a few days ago. They had only exchanged a few words when Haruko introduced her to the team last week. Shizuko found that Mitsui was easy to get along, quick to chuckle and smile, and therefore enjoyed his company tremendously.  
  
  
  
Late Afternoon, in the Basketball Court.  
  
The team was having their short break from training and most of them were resting on the court.   
  
Hanamichi suddenly elbowed Mitsui in his side.   
  
Mitsui stared dangerously at the redhead, "Ouch, that hurts you baka!"   
  
"Hee...hee, heard from Yohei that you and Shizuko-san had lunch together," Hanamichi gave a meaningful smirk, "so, going steady?"  
  
Mitsui's face turned red, he never expected to be teased by Hanamichi, "We......we are just friends," he maintained.  
  
"Ha...ha...ha, you are getting old Mitsui, should consider getting yourself a girlfriend soon. You are not like me, a tensai with Haruko-san's ever faithful support...ha...ha...ha!" Unexpectedly, Mitsui had this strong urge to brain the blabbering nitwit.  
  
This exchange was not lost on Rukawa. He stole a fleeting glance at the pair, first at the beaming redhead, then at blushing Mitsui. You do not know anything about her, he scoffed.   
  
  
  
  
  
Part (VII)  
  
Swoosh.  
  
The ball had entered the center of the mental ring with such pinpoint accuracy for the nineteenth time for the night.   
  
Shizuko caught the ball while it was making its second bounce off the floor. After dribbling towards the center court, she considered her next move. Again, she preferred to fake her movement, prior charging pass her illusory rival, first to the right then to her left. Then she sped towards her goal and made a pivot shot. She imagined Akagi would be under the Backboard waiting for her. This calculated move was made to counter his block. The arched shot was made over her head with one arm as she was falling backward and away from the basket. Once more, the ball made its twentieth triumphant mark.  
  
Satisfied, Shizuko decided to call it a day.But little did she realize that danger awaited her.  
  
  
  
20 Minutes Later, on the Streets......  
  
The main roadway was fairly empty, with a few automobiles driving through every now and then. A vigorous breeze blew, sending the leaves on the trees rustling, adding to the sounds of the night.  
  
Shizuko shivered and drew her windbreaker tighter around her. It is getting colder, I think it is going to rain soon. I'd better hurry.  
  
Immediately, she quickened her steps and turned into a small ally that was supposed to serve as a shortcut for her.   
  
All this while, she was too preoccupied to notice the two dark shadows that lurked closely behind her.  
  
  
  
Meanwhile......  
  
Rukawa cursed at himself.   
  
He was supposed to buy cat food for his pet, Noyi, and had forgotten about it. He knew that she would definitely refuse to be served fish again. A cat that doesn't like fish? Sometimes he really wondered about this cat of his.  
  
Thus, Rukawa braked and made a turn to head for the Convenient Store that was nearest to the school. Tonight, he had stayed back a little longer to watch Shizuko practice.   
  
  
  
Back in the Small Ally......  
  
Too late.  
  
By the time Shizuko sensed the two intruders, she was already cornered. She damned silently. She knew that she should have been more careful. Two men, one dressed in black and another in blue, advanced menacingly towards her with dirty leers on their faces. The one in blue suddenly reached out to grab her and she ducked swiftly......  
  
......but not swift enough.  
  
He managed to seize her windbreaker instead and this hindered her escape. The another man saw his chance and caught her by her neck. His forceful clutch nearly crushed her windpipe. Tears came unbridled to her eyes as stabs of pain jabbed her, nearly blinding her sight. Yet, she still refused to surrender to the pain. She elbowed her assailant in his left ribcage with all her force, causing him to temporary loosen his hold. Seeing her chance, she attempted to break free......but alas, the one in blue anticipated her move and rushed forward to grip her right ankle.  
  
Shizuko felt herself falling.  
  
She knew that once she hit the ground, the chances of her escaping would be virtually nil. Her two attackers were both bigger and stronger than she was. However she could not stop her inescapable drop.  
  
Due to her momentum, she struck the ground with full force and this knocked her breath out. She was left momentary out of wind. The man in black who had finally recovered from her violent assail saw this and lunged towards her.  
  
Shizuko was pinned to the ground by the man in black and could not move. He gave a lewd laugh while affixing her hands to sides of her head. Finally, he succeeded in firmly clasping her by the wrists. Somehow during the attack, her hairpin broke, allowing her long hair to stream down on the floor.   
  
"Quick! Find something to gag her!"  
  
The man wearing blue got up from the dirt floor and started to search his pockets. Soon afterward, he managed to produce a large white handkerchief and began to walk towards the grappling pair.   
  
Shizuko purposely stopped strangling. She knew that the more she fought, the harder he would grasp. Then she did the unexpected. She broke into a smile.  
The man imprisoning her was caught off guard by her reaction and his iron grip on her was released for a second.   
  
A second was what Shizuko needed. At once, she used her kneecap to thrash his groin.   
  
"Ugh......!" He rolled off her in agony.  
  
But her freedom was short lived. The man in blue grabbed her shoulders as she was getting up and hit her. She fell back once again reeling in pain but at least she was not making it easy for them.   
  
The tough shiny wires on the ground next to the wall caught the man's attention as he was recovering. An idea struck him.   
  
"Medetai(Stupid)! Don't hit her face!"  
  
This time, Shizuko realized that her hands up were being tied up by wires. The cold metal drew blood as it bit into her flesh deeply when she struggled in vain. Yet she ignored the cutting pain and struggled with her remaining energy, which was depleting fast......   
  
  
  
Back in the Convenient Store......  
  
Rukawa looked around. After ensuring that he had what he needed, he paid the cashier and left the store.   
  
Once outside, Rukawa glanced up at the night. The cloudy sky indicated that rain was imminent. He realized that he had to be fast if he did not want to be caught in the rain. In one liquid motion, he swiftly mounted his bike and headed for the streets.   
  
As he was making a turn towards the roadway, some movements at the corner of his eye caught his attention. He slowed down and observed carefully. There seemed to be a commotion down the small ally. Something was not right.   
  
Rukawa decided to investigate. He cycled towards the small ally instead and dismounted. There was a dusky-gray bag carelessly thrown against the dingy wall. It looked somewhat familiar to him. Then he heard, "Kuso(Damn)! She is making too much noise, gag her faster!"  
  
Something was terribly wrong.  
  
He turned in the direction of the source of the voice and saw two silhouettes of men kneeling on the ground over something.  
  
Or someone.  
  
In a split second, he dashed towards the shadows that revealed to be two men, one dressed in a black T-shirt and another in a blue collared shirt. The one in blue was holding a partially bloody, crumpled cloth and the other was pinning someone down on the floor.  
  
Rukawa recognized that mass of wavy black hair. Immediately, he registered what was going on.  
  
And he was furious.  
  
The two men were so engrossed in stopping Shizuko's struggles that they did not realize the hazard they themselves were in until it was too late.  
  
Rukawa seized the man in blue by the shoulders and throw him bodily against the wall. The impact was great, but still not enough to make him unconscious. In a blur, Rukawa bent low and socked him in his abdomen in all his fury. This sent him writhing with severe agony to the ground before passing out dead cold.   
  
In the meantime, the man in black had released Shizuko and was prepared to face Rukawa with a Swiss-army blade in his right hand.  
  
Rukawa shifted his attention to Shizuko. He could roughly made out the small rumpled form by the wall in the weak moonlight. Was she hurt very badly?   
The aggressor, sensing Rukawa's fleeting lack of concentration, lunged forth immediately. Rukawa's momentary inattention was awarded with a wound in his left arm when he dodged a trifle too late. Crimson blood stained his shirt.  
  
However that mortal stab did not deter Rukawa from avenging. Clasping his bleeding arm, he slowly tightened his fist and glared at his attacker with menacing slanted, penetrating eyes.   
  
That animalistic look was enough to weaken the assailant's resolve. However, he still charged ahead towards Rukawa's injured side. With unbelievable speed, Rukawa ducked and took the opportunity to elbow the intruder across the face, narrowly missing the knife.  
  
The man in black was finally brought down by Rukawa's deadly assault. Nonetheless, his wrath did not stop here. Picking the bloodied inert man by the collar, he repeatedly smashed his clenched fist in the face until his vengeance had at last subsided.  
  
  
  
Blood. She tasted blood.  
  
That coppery taste only served to remind her of the predicament she was in. Somehow, during the course of struggle, she had cut herself on the right forehead. The blood seeped down her face and into her mouth. Moreover, she had also bit her lower lip accidentally.   
  
And she knew her strength was ebbing away rapidly due to the excruciating pain from her wrists.   
  
However she was pleased to know that she was giving those bastards a hell of a time. The one in blue had tired unsuccessfully to gag her because she was struggling too violently......and the other was threatening to knife her if she did not keep quiet.  
  
And it so happened that she preferred to be knifed.   
Hence, despite the fact that she was in great agony, she resisted them with all her reminding energy.  
  
But her consciousness was also slowly, but surely slipping away. Like one trapped in quicksand, the more she fought to keep awake, the faster she fell into the abyss of darkness......  
  
Then she saw a rather tall person eclipsing the night sky before she resigned to the whirling blackness......  
  
  
  
Rukawa swore softly when he saw the extent of damage that had already been inflicted on Shizuko. There were multiple bruises on her knees and an ugly gash on her forehead, but the lesions on her wrists were the worst. Those thin wires had succeeded in cutting through the skin, leaving the tender flesh all raw and bloodied. She had struggled very hard, he concluded.  
  
He gingerly removed the wire prior tearing the edge of his shirt twice to bandage her wrists. Then he used the edge of his shirt again to clean off the bloody trials on her face. Gently, he lifted her up in his arms and headed for his bike. He also stopped along the way to pick up her bag.  
  
  
  
15 Minutes Later, in Rukawa's Apartment......  
  
Rukawa cautiously placed the unconscious figure on his bed. Next, he went to his cabinet to get the first-aid box. Pouring some antiseptic liquid on the cotton wads, he proceeded to disinfect her lacerations. Shizuko stirred slightly when he was tending to the gush on her forehead. It must have hurt a lot.  
  
After he had finished dressing her wounds with clean bandages, Rukawa thought over whether to call her parents. He rummaged through her bag and found her leather wallet. Her student pass only indicated her address without any number but Rukawa recognized that place; it was a hostel well known by boarding students. So, she also lived alone.   
  
Rukawa sat on the carpet next to the bed after he had covered her with the blanket and waited for her to regain consciousness. Even though he started to feel drowsy, he refused to sleep. He wanted to be awake when she woke. And that would take quite some time, so he slumped and waited.   
  
It began to rain outside.  
  
  
  
3 Hours Later......  
  
Noyi meowed.   
  
She licked and cleaned her tiny paws with her pink tongue. Her master had forgotten to feed her tonight.  
  
Hungry and obviously irritated, she took off to find her master. Perhaps the mere sight of her would remind him.  
  
She softly padded into his room and saw that her master had dozed off. However, a new odor heralded an outsider's presence. Excited, it leapt on the slumbering boy and onto the bed.  
  
She loved the smell of this new stranger. Enticed, she lay down and curled up beside her newfound friend.  
  
  
  
Shizuko stirred in the bed. She turned and her face touched something warm and furry. The unexpected sensation sent her eyes wide open.   
  
Nani?  
  
Shocked, she tried to sit upright but that only encouraged new jabs of pain to ripple through her body. That made her suddenly recalled what had happened.   
This was not her bed.  
  
In blind terror, she endeavored to leave the bedstead but her sudden movement only served to ire the slumbering black cat more. So it meowed.   
  
The feline's reaction was the last thing Shizuko expected. She stared in confusion at the annoyed cat. Angry at the disturbance, it stood up and glared at her in dignity before leaping off the bed sheet, and onto......  
  
......someone.  
  
Shizuko calmed herself and quietly got off the bed. She slowly knelt down and looked at the asleep person. Reaching out, she softly brushed aside the fringe to look at the stranger's face. Rukawa?   
  
Under the dim light, she could see that both her wrists were bandaged.   
  
Instinctively, she touched her forehead. Obviously, he had been through in his job. Shizuko finally understood; Rukawa had somehow saved her.  
  
But he had neglected his own injury instead. She flinched slightly when she noticed that his left arm was still bleeding. Worried, she shifted closer to examine his wound. Fortunately, the cut was not too deep.  
  
Ignoring her own jabbing pain, she got up and went to search for the first-aid box which turned out to be on the coffee table. Hurrying back, she gently lifted his injured arm and started to dress the cut, least it got infected. During the progress, she could not help but notice the large crimson stain on his tattered shirt. So, the fight had been difficult.  
  
Meanwhile, the black creature was trying to get Shizuko's attention. It meowed softly and brushed its tiny body against her legs. Perhaps it was the pathetic look in its eyes that made her realized that it was starving.  
  
After she had finished bandaging, Shizuko left the room for the kitchen to look for cat food. A cheerful, yellow convenient bag on the kitchen counter caught her attention. She checked the components and it turned out to be what she was searching for. A receipt fell out as she took out the contents. As she was returning it to its proper place, she saw the date and time.   
  
It was roughly the time of her attack.  
  
She gazed at it for a long time before she continued with her cat feeding. When Shizuko was done, she cleared up the place and threw away the soiled cotton wads. Then, deciding it was time to leave, she took her bag. However, she abruptly stopped in her footsteps when she was heading for the door.  
  
Returning to the bedroom, she walked towards the comatose body. Kneeling down, she took the blanket and covered the slumbering form. Lifting her hand, she gently touched his face. Thank you, Rukawa.   
  
The night was still drizzling when she left.   
  
  
  
  
  
Part (VIII)  
  
Mitsui was very worried.  
  
Shizuko had been absent from school for almost a week now. Although he managed to corner and interrogate quite a few of her classmates, none of them seemed to know anything. Even her Sensei was puzzled.   
  
Was she sick? Did she return to Tokyo? If so then terrible things must have happened, he questioned.   
  
However, there were no answers.  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, in Class 1-7......  
  
The soft, sanguine morning light splashed upon a stationary form. Sprawling on the table, Rukawa rested his head on his arms and stared blankly out of the classroom window. Obviously, he was troubled and could not concentrate during the lessons.   
  
Rukawa blamed himself for not being around when Shizuko awoke. Has she recovered? He feverishly wondered. There were numerous questions he wanted to ask her and her sudden departure had left him extremely unquiet.   
  
Without any doubt, he was very much concerned about her injuries......especially those on her wrists. With such extent of damage, she unmistakably had difficulty playing basketball. On that account, he was not surprised when she did not appear for her nightly practice. Nevertheless, he still opted to stay back to wait for her after his practice.  
  
  
  
  
  
Part (IX)  
  
The pain constantly screamed at her as she tried to dribble the ball.   
Shimata.  
  
It bounced out of her control several times. However, she stubbornly refused to heed the incessant ache in the wrist and tried to tame the deep orange sphere. So intent was she in her dribbling that she failed to detect another presence in the competition hall.  
  
The tall shadow silently regarded her before it stepped out into the light.  
  
"You should be resting."  
  
Shizuko's head jerked up. Dark piercing eyes met hers; it was Rukawa.   
Turning her attention back to the ball, she caught it in its next bounce. "I'm fine," she calmly replied. "Are you still using this court?" she inquired.   
Without responding, he walked towards her. Then reaching out, he clasped her right hand. Surprised, she nearly took a step backwards but then, she had trusted him since that night. So, she stood still instead and waited.  
  
Rukawa gently held and flipped her slender hand over. He was examining her wrist. His eyes narrowed when he saw that there was still a bit of blood on the gauze.   
  
Almost immediately, she pulled her hand away. "I'm fine Rukawa," she insisted.   
His eyes flashed as he retorted, "You are still hurt; you can't even dribble."  
She looked away, not wanting him to see her eyes. "The pain was nothing," she lied. Then to establish her point, she went over behind the line. Steadying her arms, she jumped and shot a three point. However, due to her weaken wrists, the shot was not clean; the ball wobbled and hit the rim before it finally cleared the net. She winced inwardly when she saw this, but still she said adamantly, "See?"   
  
Rukawa merely coldly replied, "You were better last time."  
  
Shizuko was absolutely caught off guard by his answer. Astonished, she turned and demanded, "You've seen me play?"  
  
Picking up the ball, Rukawa dribbled past her in an instant. Rushing pass the white line, he leapt and did a flawless back slam.   
  
"No point playing if you cannot maintain a perfect shot," he challenged.   
As the ball fell to the floor, he looked at her and she at him. Some sort of comprehension was exchanged between them at that very instant.   
  
At last, Shizuko spoke, "See you in court......soon" She turned away and went to retrieve her bag before heading for the exit.   
  
A fleeting, ephemeral sort of a smile passed Rukawa's face as he looked on at the retreating girl.   
  
  
[End of Chapter 1] 


End file.
